Report: Jumblat Threatens to Withdraw from Cabinet if Proportional Electoral Law Adopted
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat warned Prime Minister Najib Miqati that if the cabinet adopted an electoral law based on proportionality then this would lead to the collapse of the government, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Wednesday
Al-Liwaa said Jumblat refuses the proposed electoral law, threatening to withdraw his National Struggle Front ministers from the cabinet, if the parliament approved the draft law and the government adopted it.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed to al-Mustaqbal newspaper that he was behind the resumption of discussions on the electoral law for the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections.
“We are running out of time to accomplish the logistic, technical and security preparations in order to ensure a successful process,” he told the daily.
Charbel urged the officials to agree on an electoral law before an 8-month period or a year utmost.
He stressed the elections will go on as scheduled in 2013 unless a security situation forces its delay.
Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri lashed out at the March 14 forces for refusing an electoral law based on proportionality.
Lawmakers quoted him as saying: “Most of the March 14 figures want to stick to the 1960 law because it enables them to have the majority of the seats… they don’t want to change and develop the country.”
The adoption of an electoral law based on proportionality “has been my ambition for a while,” Berri stated.
The options include considering Lebanon a single electoral district on the basis of proportionality, or maintaining the current electoral district division with the possibility of merging the small districts in one on the basis of merging the majority election and the proportional representation systems.
04 April 2012, 12:46
20
Rephrase that FT. It should be "and ~not~ too many idiots following them".
04 April 2012, 12:28
13
FT and geha and syrian and...the proportionality law is sectarian and one of its effects is to reduce the number of deputees ruled by Joumblat (which I approve of). However we should have a civil law not a sectarian law. We should have people who will elect the best deputee and not the deputee because of his religion even if that leads to 100% muslim or 100% christian parliament. People should learn and appreciate that they are lebanese. They should learn to love another lebanese because he is lebanese and not because of his religion. Once we get to that we will be able to change all of our stupid religious political system. We can start by voting those deputees out (they have all proved over 30+ years that they didn't do anything for the country). Wake up people!!!!!
04 April 2012, 13:51
02
the free syrian army will decide on peoper time, u all know that
04 April 2012, 14:51
31
I a disgusted by what you just said. To call an entire culture 'filth'? Shame on you. What has happened to the world?
04 April 2012, 15:10
03
inveritas,
OK you got a point,how about just those that arm the hezb at the exxpense of the state and all fellow citizens and the Hezb that is more loyal to Iran (as they should be since they receive so much from Iran).... so limit to those who do not put Lebanon first.
04 April 2012, 15:39
02
We desperately need the separation of church/mosque from government.
04 April 2012, 15:48
00
Proportionality is a good choice - it gives better representation.
However, increasing the size of the district above the Qaza level will diminish the ability of independent local candidates to run for election. Large size districts suits the entranched political parties with their large resources better.
Seems to me large political parties are looking for ways to preserve themselves. Hizbullah could also be afraid that some chiaa indendent candidates might run against them and diminish his representation in parliament.
04 April 2012, 16:08
12
dream on. every day the syrian regime army is getting smaller as mre and more are leaving it by the day :)
04 April 2012, 16:14
11
do not worry Tony: with what this government is doing so far, come 2013 the people will never elect a single one of those in power now.
so many companies are firing their employees and it is ging crescendo. what will the reaction of the people be?
04 April 2012, 18:32
00
No, he won't quit the government. Its an opening bid that he wants to talk and negotiate the bill.
